Sheffield Software Company Goes From Hallam University To Palace

9th August 2016

James Fox and Tim Jones, Directors of Sheffield software company 3Squared, recently attended Buckingham Palace to receive their 'Queen's Award' for Innovation.

The company was recognised in the 'Innovation' category for its RailSmart software solution, a suite of apps which has been developed specifically for the rail industry. The two company directors, who met at Sheffield Hallam University 15 years ago, had always harboured ambitions to start their own business and one day collect a Queen's Award. Last week, their dream became reality as Tim and James collected the award, widely acknowledged as one of the highest accolades for UK businesses. James Fox, Commercial Director at 3Squared, said: -We were so proud when we found out that we had won the Queen's Award for Innovation. Attending the Palace was a great honour and is something we have often discussed during the last 15 years. It is fantastic to think how far we've come as a company and it really was one of the proudest days of my life receiving the Queen's award and being able to share this with Tim. Tim Jones, Managing Director at 3Squared, said: -It was a wonderful day and the culmination of a lot of hard work and effort, not just by ourselves but our team. Sheffield is a fantastic place for a technology business like ours to be based and we continue to work closely with Sheffield Hallam University to offer opportunities to their students and attract talented staff for the future. 3Squared achieved the Queen's Award due to the major efficiencies its RailSmart suite has delivered for train operating companies, alongside the significant business growth the company has experienced in terms of sales expansion, increased turnover and heightened profitability. The commercial success of the products has both enabled and compelled the business to enter an exciting period of rapid growth and development, during which it has made a number of new appointments. This includes a new operational management team, including four new managers, appointed to head up several business areas and ensure the company is equipped to scale for the future. Tim Jones continues: -Our business has grown significantly as a direct result of RailSmart and we have increased our staff levels by 40 per cent in the past 12 months to meet demand. This has also enabled us to appoint a new management team to give us the platform we need to be able to service even larger, national contracts in the future. 3Squared collaborated with two major rail operators to develop its flagship application, RailSmart Employee Development System (EDS), gaining an insight into the limitations of current systems and tailoring the software to the needs of the business and its employees. Since its launch, RailSmart EDS has proved very attractive to rail businesses as it allows companies to continuously manage and improve employees' competencies by ensuring rigorous training standards are met. It is designed to help lower business risk, reduce incidents and lessen the administration burden of compliance 3Squared is a Sheffield-based software development consultancy. It is at the forefront in the use of technology to deliver change and innovation to clients predominantly in the construction and rail sectors. The company has over 14 years' experience in helping organisations to use the latest technology to overcome business problems, improve efficiency and save money. For more information, contact info@3squared.com or telephone 0333 121 3333 or visit the website www.3squared.com.